Lacking Assurance

 

“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all…”

(Romans 4:16 ESV)

 

In the month of October, we celebrate the Reformation. Specifically, October 31^st is recognized as Reformation Day. We do so because this date marks the beginning of the attempt of Martin Luther to reform the Catholic Church.

 

One of the primary tenets of the Reformation is the fact that we are saved by the grace of God alone. And this grace is received through faith in Christ alone. Our efforts and our own perceived goodness, in other words, play no role in it whatsoever.

 

This is a great comfort to us. However, although we know the gospel, we revert naturally back the law, seeking our salvation. We depend, once again, upon the works of the law to attain for us the forgiveness of our sins. And it’s our sinful nature that leads us to do so.

 

It leads us to depend upon ourselves, rather than Christ, to gain the mercy we so desperately need. And the result of this is that we have no peace. The result of this is that we have no assurance of salvation.

 

As we trust in the law and our obedience to it, we can never know if we’re good enough, or if we’ve done enough, to satisfy the righteous requirements of God. This, then, leaves us in a state of doubt. It leaves us in a state of uncertainty. It leaves us worried, that we may be found to have fallen short.

 

It does so because, in that case, there is no guarantee. There’s no sense of security. And there’s no confidence when it comes to our life in eternity.

 

Paul, in the fourth chapter of Romans, addresses this. And he reminds us that the promise of God, given to Abraham and his offspring, came not through the law. It came, rather, through the righteousness of faith.

 

This promise, in other words, was not dependent upon Abraham or his obedience. Nor was it dependent upon the obedience of the people. It was, from first to last, the work of God.

 

As we see above, in verse 16, this leaves no room for question or doubt. And it provides to us the assurance of our salvation. Since it depends on faith, he says, since it rests on grace, it is guaranteed to all his offspring.

 

In this case, the promise of God is sure. It’s confirmed. It’s valid, steadfast, and certain.

 

And, as he refers to Abraham’s offspring, he’s not merely talking about those who are physically descended from Abraham. He says that it does so for those who share the faith of Abraham. It’s talking, you see, about you and me.

 

By faith, we have the guarantee of God’s blessing. By faith, his blessing is sure. By faith we know that what he’s promised to us is certain.

Where Hope is Found

 “And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We often act as if this world is all there is. We believe that it’s in this world that our hope is found. And we believe that it’s in this life that our hope is found.

Salvation means to us deliverance from all of our worldly trials. It means the end of our suffering. It means the end of illness. And it means the end of conflict. 

We often find that this was the mindset of the disciples as well. Even as they followed Jesus, even as they hung on his every word, and even as they saw his every deed, they failed to understand that he’d come to bring something more. He’d come to deliver a blessing that’s far greater.

We see this in the above passage. As Jesus was transfigured before them, and as Moses and Elijah appeared to them, they seemed to think they were here to stay. And, for this reason, they offered to make a tent or a booth for each of them.

They failed to understand, however, that this experience would soon come to an end. They failed to understand that Jesus, who stood before them in his glory, would soon appear to them as an ordinary man. And Moses and Elijah, who were there speaking with Jesus, would soon be gone.

It’s true that Jesus would one day reveal his glory always. But that day was not then. And it’s true that, one day, Moses and Elijah would be forever in their presence. But it was not in this world.

The same principle applies to us, in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. It’s true that Jesus came to deliver us from all suffering. As he paid the penalty of our sin, its consequences will also become a thing of the past. But this will happen only at the end of this age.

At the return of Christ, a new heaven and earth will come to us. Those who have died will rise from the dead, while those who remain will be transformed. And we’ll spend eternity in this place, free of sin and death.

Realizing this, we should not place our hope in this age. Nor should our hope be found in this place. We should, rather, anticipate the return of Christ and the ushering in of his new creation.

Words of Assurance

 “And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭45‬:‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As we endure seasons of hardship, various platitudes are frequently offered in an attempt to comfort us. And, quite often, they seem like nothing more than that. They seem like nothing more than cliche statements, from which we derive no comfort.

In our moment of struggle, we’re simply unable to receive them. More than that, we’re unwilling to receive the comfort they provide. As we’re in a period of emotional and spiritual struggle, they provide little hope.

Yet, even though we derive no comfort from them, and even though they seem like nothing more than empty words, they are, in fact, true. They are accurate. And, if received, they offer us great hope.

We see this as we look at the above passage. These words were spoken by Joseph after many years of enslavement and imprisonment. And they were directed to the very men who were responsible for his suffering.

God had since delivered Joseph from his misery, making him the ruler of Egypt. And as his brothers had come, seeking provision in a time of famine, he understood why God had allowed it. God had used the wicked deed of his brothers, and even the false accusation of his master’s wife, that he might save his family along with the nation of Egypt.

Throughout his suffering, Joseph had no idea why these things were happening. And although Joseph was eventually enabled to see the reason for his suffering, this isn’t always the case. It’s not even usually the case. 

However, even if we don’t understand why God has allowed our suffering, and even if we never understand this, the fact remains that God is able to work through it. He’s able to work through it to provide his blessing. He’s able to work through it for our blessing or, perhaps, for the blessing of others.

God may not use our suffering like that of Joseph. He may not use it that our family, along with thousands of others, might be saved. But there are many subtle ways in which the Lord can use it.

As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:4, God comforts us in our affliction that we may be able to comfort others. We, then, are able to share with others the comfort that we have received from God. We’re able to bless others with a comfort we’ve received only because of an affliction suffered.

We, then, should never look at the assurances of Scripture as mere platitudes. And we should never look at them as cliche, empty words. No matter how we might feel in the moment, his promise is certain.

In the Hour of Darkness

 “And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.”

 (Genesis 39:20 ESV)

There are times in life when it seems that everything is falling apart around us. Although we pray, we feel that our words have gone unheard. In fact, we feel that we’ve been abandoned by God. 

It seems as though, rather than living in his blessing, we’re living under his curse. Instead of living in the love of God, we feel that we’re regarded as an enemy. We simply feel that he’s doing nothing to help us.

This is what came to mind as I read the account of Joseph. You may recall that, although he was loved by his father, his brothers had sold him as a slave into Egypt. And while there, he was falsely accused by his master’s wife and ended up in prison. 

If anyone had reason to feel abandoned by God, it was Joseph. Regardless of his faith, nothing seemed to work in his favor. And no matter how intentionally he lived out his faith, his circumstances only became worse.

However, as we look at his story, we find that God was with him. No matter how it seemed, and no matter how he felt, God was with him. We know this because of the truth that is repeated in his story.

After he was sold into slavery we’re told that the Lord was with Joseph and that he became a successful man. We’re told that Joseph found favor in his master’s sight, and that he was made overseer in his house and over all he had.

Although he was imprisoned, we’re told that the Lord was with him. He showed to Joseph his steadfast love. And, again, Joseph found favor with the keeper of the prison.

The Lord eventually provided for Joseph’s freedom. And he ultimately placed Joseph into a position of great authority. However, the years spent by Joseph as a slave and in prison were many.

This, you see, is important for us to remember in times of hardship and struggle. Even though life isn’t easy, this does not indicate that God has abandoned us. And even though things seem bleak, this in no way indicates that the Lord isn’t working for our blessing.

The Lord is with us in the dark times. He’s blessing us in seasons of difficulty. No matter how things may outwardly seem, God is faithful and shows to us his steadfast love.